BookWhirl.com’s Lucky 7 Promo

Posted in News on August 17th, 2010 by admin

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For more information about BookWhirl.com’s book marketing services, log on to www.BookWhirl.com or call our toll free number at 1-877-207-1679. You may also send us an e-mail at Info@BookWhirl.com.

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Book Events That Really Sell

Posted in Book Events on August 16th, 2010 by admin

by Katherine Swarts

source: http://www.sellingbooks.com/book-events-that-really-sell

You’ve arranged a book signing, or reserved an expo table. You’re counting the days to the big event, dreaming every night of mile-long customer lines and overflowing cash boxes.

Unfortunately, that scenario really is “in your dreams” for most writers. If you aren’t sufficiently popular to draw interest on pure name recognition, you may be lucky to get ten visitors and one sale.

There are ways to improve your chances, though. Here are my candidates for the top five things that attract browsers to a book signing or expo table.

  1. Relevance. When considering where to exhibit, don’t stop with bookstores and book expos; hold your health-book signing at a fitness center, or display local-history books at your town’s centennial fair. You may actually sell more at a “non-book” event where attendees are more focused and direct competition less.
  2. Advance publicity. Give “save the date” cards to your friends. Post announcements—preferably weekly for a month in advance—on all your blogs and social networking accounts. (Even out-of-state fans have acquaintances and relatives in your area.) For individual signings, send press releases to local media—and be sure the host business announces the event in its newsletters/blogs and on its Web site. Provide posters for hosts to display the month of the event. (Incidentally, minimize time competition—don’t schedule signings when half the town is traveling or at a major local festival!)
  3. Visual appeal. For an expo, place an eye-catching ad—with book cover image—in the official program. For any event, use a large, colorful banner sign—preferably set high enough to read from across the room. Arrange about a dozen of your books—not so many that they look cluttered—on the display table. Also to avoid a “cluttered” appearance, use a low-hanging tablecloth (solid-colored, preferably white or pastel) to hide your boxes.
  4. Giveaways. A bowl or platter of “sweet nibbles” always draws visitors. Offer something more permanent, too; bookmarks with cover images and lists of additional titles are always good. Or provide a premium related to your topic (fudge for a dessert cookbook, tiny stuffed kittens for a story featuring a cat) and marked with your Web address.
  5. Good attitude. The number-one quality of every successful business owner. Make eye contact, with a wave and a smile, whenever someone glances your way; few can resist the implied invitation. Smile even when you think no one is looking; it adds to your table’s visual appeal. Remember that rearranging your display, eating lunch at your booth, and leaving the table unattended are sure ways to miss all but the most determined customers. And even if only two people stop all day (one to raid your candy dish and one to tell you your book should be banned) and the air conditioning fails on the hottest day of August, think happy thoughts and save the pity party until you’re out of the public eye!

For tips from the veterans, click to the following articles: “How to Have a Successful Book Signing” by MaryJanice Davidson; “Selling Your Books at a Booth” by Belea T. Keeney; and “40+ Ways to Make Your Next Book Signing an Event!” by Larry James.

Katherine Swarts is a professional writer specializing in corporate blogs/newsletters and other articles. Her Web address is www.spreadthewordcommercialwriting.com.

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For Beginners: 10 Ways To Prepare To Get Published

Posted in Book Publishing on August 13th, 2010 by admin

By: Jill Nagle

source: http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/103344/publishing/for_beginners_10_ways_to_prepare_to_get_published.html

1) Read, read, read in your field. You can never read too much when you’re trying to excel as a writer. Reading in your field helps you develop a discerning eye. You need this discerning eye for when you step back and look at your own work.

2) Cultivate role models. Know who the top-selling authors are in your field. Find out more about them. How did they get to where they are? Do searches in the Internet (available in most libraries-ask your librarian how to use a search engine) for information about particular authors whose careers you admire. Let your role models inspire rather than daunt you. There is no competition, only inspiration, potential teachers and opportunities for cooperation. That author you envy this year may be writing a blurb for your first novel next year.

3) Research your markets. If you want to publish in periodicals, whether literary fiction, journalistic writing, or anything else, realize publication standards serve a purpose other than to frustrate new authors.

4) Take classes. Many cities offer writing classes through community colleges or local writing groups. Online writing classes are popping up everywhere. If possible, choose a writing teacher who has published in a field you’d like to enter. Even better, find someone you already consider a mentor. Not every published author has what it takes to offer beginning writers what they need, but many do.

5) Join or start a writer’s group in your area. We teach best what we most need to learn. There is no better way to improve your own writing than to help others with theirs.

6) Find a writing buddy with whom to check in on a regular basis. The two of you can be each others’ inspiration, accountability market, guidepost and reality check. Having structure and someone to check in with may help you look forward to your otherwise lonely writing sessions.

7) Play with changing voices. Copy other writers you admire. How does that feel? Pretend you suddenly got an injection of creativity serum or I.Q. booster, then write like mad for ten minutes. What happens to the quality of your words? Is this a possible new direction for you? As creative and intelligent beings, we have so much more within us than we could ever dream.

8) Accept the reality of rewriting. Unlike other professions who get to rest on their milestones, for writers, a completed manuscript often represents a beginning. The best writing comes after lots of rewriting, even for seasoned authors. You needn’t throw any of it away, but not every sentence belongs in every work. Save the scraps, but don’t get attached to where they go, or the integrity of your project will suffer.

9) Get clear on what you want out of getting published. Many writers move forward without knowing where they want to wind up. As a teacher once told me, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” The answer to what you want out of getting published will help you determine the best route to take. And in publishing, those routes are many and varied. You can use our Twenty Questions as a self-help guide.

10) If what you want is to get published in the least amount of time, considering hiring a ghostwriter. An extremely common but rarely discussed practice, many successful authors talk to ghostwriters, who put their skills to work on an author’s behalf. Although some such ghostwriters get a cover credit, many do not, hence the “ghost” terminology. If you have more money than time or inclination to toil, ghostwriting may be the option for you. Learn more.

About The Author, Jill Nagle

Author Jill Nagle is founder and principal of GetPublished,
http://www.GetPublished.com, which provides coaching, consulting, ghostwriting, classes and do-it-yourself products to emerging and published authors. Her most recent book is How to Find An Agent Who Can Sell Your Book for Top Dollar http://www.FindTheRightAgent.com.

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What Do I Deserve As An Author?

Posted in Book Publishing on August 12th, 2010 by admin

source: http://blog.marketingtipsforauthors.com/2010/06/what-do-i-deserve-as-author.html

Written by: Tony Eldridge

So, you have written a book. Congratulations! No matter how you did it, that is truly a feat worthy of praise. You have beaten the odds and did what few others have done. You now have a piece of your legacy that will always set you apart from others.

I’m not going to tell you that now the hard work begins. By now, I am sure you have done your homework and you realize that you have a responsibility to market your book. Unless you are among the elite best-selling authors, your publisher will probably not have much of a marketing plan for you. If you rely on that, your three months to make a splash will come and go before your publisher moves to the next book.

The question I do want to consider is one that may make you feel a little uncomfortable, but it’s one we really need to ask if we want to move past the hurdle that many authors never get past. The question is:

What Do I Deserve As An Author?

  1. You don’t deserve book sales- Just because you’ve written a book doesn’t man that people have to buy it. Ultimately, books are written for readers, not the authors. It is up to the reader to decide whether it’s worthy of purchase. If they vote “no”, then that’s the way it is.
  2. You don’t deserve stellar reviews- While reviewers often give opinions that you may disagree with, they are not a service to help you promote your book. Once in their hands, they are ethically bound to give their honest appraisal of your book. That’s all that you deserve to expect from them. And on matters of opinion, the benefit of the doubt rests with them.
  3. You don’t deserve a hot word-of-mouth network- Of course you want to enlists everyone you know to help you spread the word of your book, but few authors experience a 100% mobilization of their personal network. I hate to break it to you, but you will have family and close friends that will never tell anyone about your book, even though they make promises that they fully intend to keep. Success or failure of your book does not rest with them, but with you.
  4. You don’t deserve freebies- As an author, you don’t deserve to have people offer free advertising or marketing for your book. People have businesses to run, and if that business involves marketing and advertising, you are another client just like every other client. If you want their business, you need to be willing to pay (or barter) for it. Freebies are a gift that we need to be thankful for, not ones that we need to expect, or deserve.

So, what do you deserve as an author? In my humble opinion, you deserve something far more valuable that the things mentioned above. You deserve:

  • Self Respect- This is huge. No matter what is going on in your life, you did what few others have done. That is something to be proud of and something no one can take away. Like earning a diploma, it’s something you will always have.
  • Proof that you can overcome great obstacles- If you can write a book, then you deserve to know that you can overcome any obstacles set in your path. The skill of overcoming obstacles is one that’s worth gold when you have tangible evidence you can do it.
  • A legacy to leave to your descendants- 100 years after people leave this earth, there is little left as a legacy. A book is a way to live eternally to those who come after us. What a wonderful thought that your great-great grandchildren will read your words with pride.

To me, it all boils down to this: As an author, you deserve to be proud of your great accomplishment. You don’t deserve anything from anyone else. What others may choose to give you is a gift to be grateful for, but nothing to expect.

So, get out there and do your best to persuade people to read your book and to help share it with others. If they don’t, that’s okay. Just move on to someone else. The passion and knowledge you have about your book will help find those people just waiting to discover your book and the joy you have created between the covers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tony Eldridge author of the action/adventure book, The Samson Effect, that Clive Cussler calls a “first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure.” He also share his book marketing tips with fellow authors through his blog and through his free weekly video marketing tips for authors. You can follow him on Twitter @TonyEldridge

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7 Quick Writing Tips For Daily Bloggers

Posted in Blogging on August 11th, 2010 by admin

source: http://www.site-reference.com/articles/Internet-Marketing/7-Quick-Writing-Tips-For-Daily-Bloggers.html

Question: How long does it take you write a post? 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes? Personally, it all depends on the topic. Some topics are easier to write about than others.

I think we could all agree on that..

Some posts are easier just to make a quick 5-10 minute video. But, as a rule of thumb.. if it takes me more than 25 minutes to get it down on paper – I’m probably doing too much, and more than likely going off on a tangent.

The main reason readers come to your blog is to get a quick tip, or get inspired by a short story. They want to get in, engage and get out… it’s unfortunate, but it’s true.

Our job as bloggers is to provide them with valuable and useful information they can benefit from right away. With this post or article, I’m trying to accomplish the same thing.

Here Are The Top 7 Writing Tips For Daily Bloggers

Tip#1 is to stay clear with your topic of choice for every blog post. Nothing’s worse than having your readers ask “where is this going?” dead-smack in the middle of the post.

Tip#2 is to understand “Message To Market”. If your target market are beginners, don’t start writing about higher conversion rate on sales pages when they can’t even set up a domain with hosting.

Tip#3 is to create ‘Scannable Content’ just like this one. This helps your readers get the most out of an article even if they just skim through to get the best points.

Tip#4 is to Bold, Italics, CAPS and Underline words and phrases. This helps you direct your readers attention to the most important piece of the post. (for example – the list of tips in this post)

Tip#5 is use subheads INSIDE your post. Most people just write, and write and write and write.. without any breaks.. without anything that can grab your readers attention. Sub-headlines are great because again, skimmers will continue reading if they found a subhead interesting.

Tip#6 is to insert pictures into your blog post. Pictures provide your readers with a visual of what you’re trying to say. (..also an attention grabber)

Tip#7 is to write short paragraphs. I’m afraid of long paragraphs – they just look really looooonnngg.. and when I see them – I run away. Most people are like this, and you’re probably like this too. So, do us all a favor and break up your long paragraphs into short ones.

Trust me, you’re readership will shoot through the roof. This article took me 18 minutes to write. It’s short, sweet and to the point. I also tried to make it really easy to understand.

The last thing we want to make our readers guess what we’re trying to say, so it’s best to just say it.


That’s about it.. You want some more?

Make sure to sign up for the Blogging Blueprint video course. You’ll get 6 video trainings to help you create a better blog.

One last thing.. did you like this post? Great! Share it, retweet it, and leave your comments below.

Take care & Talk soon,
Hector Cuevas

Hector Cuevas helps home based business owners build their businesses online.

Read more: http://www.site-reference.com/articles/Internet-Marketing/7-Quick-Writing-Tips-For-Daily-Bloggers.html#ixzz0wGyYTCec

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10 Free Or Cheap Ways To Market Your Writing Business

Posted in Book Writing on August 10th, 2010 by admin

source: http://articlescollections.com/10-free-or-cheap-ways-to-market-your-writing-business/

Short on cash? Not to worry. You can market your freelance writing services with little or no money. These 10 strategies cost nothing, or close to it. They’ll save you moneyand put money in your bank account, too!

1. Look in the business section of your local paper for the names of people who have been promoted, hired or rewarded by their companies. Write a short congratulatory letter (refer to the specific achievement to make it personal), and enclose two or more of your business cards (one for the person to keep, the others for him or her to give to others). By the way, your business cards DO include complete information about what you do, don’t they? If not, redesign them today! Just a title, such as Freelance Writer, is too vague. List what you can do (newsletters, brochures, ads, etc.) and add a blurb that highlights the main benefit you offer.

2. Scan magazines and newspapers for articles that are of interest to one or more of your current clients or hot prospects (people you’ve talked to but have not worked for yet). Clip the articles and send them to the prospects with an attached, handwritten note stating something like, Hi, Alice. Thought you might be interested in this. Please keep me in mind for your future writing needs! Regards, Henry. This strategy gives you a reason to remind your clients and prospects about you. It’s a way to keep your name in their minds. The use of snail mail and a handwritten note gives this tactic a personal touch. This is much more effective (and less obtrusive) than sending interesting tidbits via e-mail.

3. Create an alliance with graphic designers. Writers sometimes need graphic design work or have the opportunity to refer their clients to artists. And artists frequently need good copy that their clients cannot or do not want to supply themselves. Contact local graphic designers and ask them about their businesses before you talk about yours. Let them know that you may have an occasional client who could use their services. After the conversation gets going, you can mention your services. Follow up by sending a personal letter and several of your business cards. (One for the designer to keep, and the others for the designer to give to clients who may need you someday.)

4. Join an organization, such as the Chamber of Commerce or the local advertising club. Face-to-face networking is one of the best ways to get the word out about your business. Put your business cards in your pocket and always give two or three to each person (one to keep and one or two to share).

5. After you join an organization, volunteer and be active. Get noticed by taking a visible role in committees or events.

6. Call 5 to 10 people you know — friends, relatives, coworkers, folks at church, etc.–and talk to them about what you are doing as a freelance copywriter. Let them know you are available for work if they happen to hear of anyone who can use your services. Sometimes we think our inner circle knows what we do and can therefore refer us to others. More often, though, these people have only a limited idea of our capabilities. Change their misperceptions today!

7. Start your own newsletter or e-zine. Make sure at least 75 percent of the copy is information people can use — not marketing hype about you. For example, write articles on Better Business Writing, The Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid When You Write a Business Letter, or Advertising Copy That Sells. Show your expertise in most of the newsletter, then highlight the benefits of your writing services. Remember to add a call to action (what you want the reader to do next, such as call you for a free consultation).

8. Contact a bookstore and offer to teach a free seminar about writing. Use a recently published book as a resource, and have lots of copies on hand for participants who are interested in purchasing the book. You’ll benefit from the free publicity and the store will benefit from the free promotion of the book.

9. Call four ad agencies and ask to speak to the creative or copy director. Be ready with a 30-second introductory pitch about your services and how you can benefit the ad agency. Ask for either a meeting to discuss the agency’s needs or permission to send a package with some of your writing samples.

10. Try to get in the newspaper or on the radio or local TV. Many media outlets actively seek guests who have something interesting to say. Develop a topic idea that will showcase your talents as a writer while also making for a good story or segment. Contact local reporters, radio hosts and TV producers with your idea.

By:
Kathy Poole

Kathy Poole has been a Prosperous Writer since she launched her highly profitable freelance copywriting business in 1985. She is also a Writer’s Coach who empowers other writers to prosper in this opportunity-rich field. Kathy gives writers the confidence, knowledge and action plans they need to start, run and grow their own lucrative copywriting businesses much sooner and more easily than they could by themselves. For information, resources, more articles and a complimentary Special Report, visit www.prosperouswriter.com. Send e-mails to kathy@prosperouswriter.com.

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A Quick Guide to Marketing Your Book on the Internet

Posted in Book Marketing on August 9th, 2010 by admin

source: http://www.authorinsider.com/article.php?subaction=showfull&id=1150940828&archive=&start_from=&ucat=7&

Selling your book will be ten times easier as soon as you can accept this one, think-out-of-the-box strategy: your book doesn’t have to be inside a bricks-and-mortar store to sell copies. Too many self-published authors get caught up in trying to figure out how to get distribution which will get their book into big box stores such as Borders and Barnes & Noble. The process can be expensive and daunting. But these days the best grass-roots marketing that can sell tons of books happens on the internet. Using a few tricks of the trade you could reach a wider audience, sell more books and do it while spending less money!

Create a Website That Does More Than Look Good

Nearly every author has a website these days, but not every site helps sell a book. Yes, it’s great to have photos, calendar dates and an order button for your book. But a website can do a lot more. Put a sign up box on every page of your site and offer a free gift to people who fill it in. That will give you a great head start in building your mailing list. You can also use your site to showcase your talent: post clips, sample chapters, your resume and a way for editors looking for freelance writers to contact you. Give your readers reasons to come back to the site regularly. Some authors hold contests and showcase readers or book clubs that loved the author’s book. Have a speakers kit on your site as well for easy downloading so you can direct inquiries for appearances there. You can even feature periodic sales on your site (perhaps during holidays or your birthday!) where readers can buy your book in bulk for gifts.

Enlist Others to Assemble a Special Offer Package

Everyone knows you have to get your book on Amazon.com. It’s the easiest place for people to go to find your book. But how do you get them to go there and buy it? The key is to get other people (preferably with lists of their own) to help you put together a special offer package.

You ask people to donate services, a free download, or gift certificate (the idea is this helps them promote their businesses) and you bundle these goodies up into a bonus package that people receive when they buy your book. The offers should appeal to your target market. Then you set a launch day and everyone who contributed to the package sends an email blast to THEIR lists telling them of the great offer. So you not only have a great offer to entice people to buy, you also have the offer going out to A LOT more people!

I’ll give you an example so you can see how this works. I recently participated in a special offer for Christine Martinello to promote her new book, The Momager Guide: Empowering Moms to Leave A Loving Legacy. You can see her offer, as well as the list of goodies she gave away, at http://www.christinemartinello.com/specialoffer. This offer was only supposed to last a week, but it’s been so successful that Christine has allowed it to continue. She also went, in just a few days, from being ranked #2.4 million on the Amazon sales list to being ranked #13 on the parenting and families bestseller list and # 238 in overall book sales. A true bestseller!

Use Many Tools

A great website is just a start. To maximize your exposure, use more than one of the many internet tools available. Use a blog to increase your search engine visibility. If you’re posting on a regular basis and on subject matter connected to current events, your blog could also become a source of free publicity. Just make sure your blog postings note you are “author of your book”. Podcasts are another way of establishing credibility and getting the word out. An aspiring author recently asked me about how to create buzz around a book he’s writing about a historic sports broadcaster. A podcast is a natural outlet for him. Not only can he produce shows about sports broadcasting that show off his expertise, he can also play old clips of his book’s subject and stir up interest in him as well.

E-newsletters, like this one, are a great way of establishing rapport with your readers and keeping them up to date on what’s coming next. I recently signed up for Stephen King’s newsletter so I can see how this mega-selling author continues to put himself out there. (Note: King and his publisher sent out text messages this week to random cellphones to promote his latest work, Cell. A great use of a different marketing tool!)

Don’t overlook your email signature. I still get people interested in my book just because they saw it mentioned in my email signature. Keep it simple: mention the title, a great review and tell them where to get it. Since you can set your email up to put your signature on everything you send out, this is marketing you can just “set it and forget it”.

Show Up in Many Places

The internet is a big place and the people you’re targeting to buy your book visit many sites. Your best bet is to figure out where they go and show up there in a variety of ways. For instance, you can design a banner ad for your book and get it posted on targeted sites. In some cases you may have to pay for the advertising, but if you have a site that someone wants to show up on themselves, they may be open to swapping ad space with you for free. Same thing goes for newsletters. Write articles for other newsletters, swap articles with other authors. Or, better yet, post articles to sites such as isnare.com or EzineArticles.com, and your writing will be sent all over the internet. You never know where your article will show up. One of my articles recently led to me being interviewed by Investors Business Daily. The reporter simply found it while doing a search on the topic of her story.

One last note: Because the internet is practically limitless in its reach, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the marketing possibilities. Take a deep breath and map out your strategy. Not every tool will suit you, so don’t try to do everything. It’s better to choose two or three techniques and work those to success rather than do ten things, in a scattershot way, with poor results. Remember, technology is supposed to make life easier!

By Sophfronia Scott

© 2006 Sophfronia Scott

Author and Writing Coach Sophfronia Scott is “The Book Sistah” TM. Get her FREE REPORT, “The 5 Big Mistakes Most Writers Make When Trying to Get Published” and her FREE online writing and book publishing tips at http://www.TheBookSistah.com

Sophfonia is also author of the bestselling novel, All I Need to Get By.  If you liked today’s issue, stay tuned for more because The Book Sistah also offers FREE audio classes, FREE articles, workshops, and other resources to help aspiring authors get published and market their books successfully.

The Book Sistah
230 South Main St.
Ste. 319
Newtown, CT 06470
203-426-2036
Info@TheBookSistah.com
http://www.TheBookSistah.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sophfronia_Scott

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How to Write Social Media Book Author Profile Pages to Attract Potential Readers

Posted in Social Media Marketing on August 6th, 2010 by admin

source: http://www.millermosaicllc.com/book-author-profile-pages/

If you find this article informative, check out WeTeachWebMarketing.com.


If you are a book author who wants potential readers to find you on the internet, you want to be as visible as possible in places that those readers might be.

And in almost every social media place that you sign up for – such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn – you are given the opportunity to write a profile about yourself.

What should these profiles say to effectively attract potential readers?


Twitter Has Only 160 Characters for Your Bio Info


Let’s start with Twitter with 160 characters max for your bio. Obviously you are going to put that you are a book author (perhaps fiction or nonfiction) and presumably you will have a book website URL for the “more info URL” field in your profile. What else are you going to say in those 160 characters? That depends.

Do you have a business besides being a book author? If so, you may want to put info about that business in your bio. Or is there a particular hook about your book that you want to get across in your bio? Perhaps your book is a novel based on a true story.

Your goal in the brief Twitter bio is to make yourself interesting enough (although all true) that people can find “connections” to you and want to follow you.

This means that you must not leave this bio blank. If you want people to follow you on Twitter, you have to be willing to share about yourself.

And remember that you can change this info easily. For example, if your book wins an award, you should consider changing your Twitter bio to reflect that award. Revisit your bio every couple of months to ensure that it presents the most up-to-date version of yourself.

Facebook Has Much More Space for Bio Info


Now let’s move on to Facebook, which has a longer bio section under info on your profile page with the ability to include as many of your own website URLs as you want.

Now here’s the often-overlooked extra of Facebook:


You can have a very brief bio section under your photo that people can see when visiting your wall page as well as your info page. This is a golden opportunity to get the most important points across in a very short space. Because, honestly, how many people are going to read all those long entries on your info page? (And for the long entries, do use lists instead of long, dense paragraphs.)

Take advantage of this brief, easy-to-read bio with the info you most want to share with your Facebook friends. Note that this may not necessarily be the same as the info you choose to share with your Twitter followers, even though in both cases you want to emphasize that you are a book author. And, again, update this brief Facebook bio every couple of months.

LinkedIn Has Its Own Peculiarities


Now for the third social networking site – LinkedIn. This site gives you a very brief space to put a few words under your photo along with the opportunity to provide a brief summary of your business. Book authors should take advantage of both places to convey their most important information. Then the rest of the profile info on LinkedIn is more job and career-oriented.

There is one important “trick”:


LinkedIn only allows three website links. But don’t click on “My Company” or “My Website” or “My Blog” before putting in the links. Click on “Other” in each case. Then to the right of “Other” put descriptive words such as “Book Blog” or “Book Site.” You want potential readers to know they can find out about your book(s) at your sites.

As with your other social media profiles, revisit your LinkedIn profile info every so often to ensure that the info is up to date.

In conclusion, don’t make the mistake of thinking that these profiles are unimportant and thus you dash off writing the info. These profiles provide the information that helps make you interesting to potential readers.

Spend as much time writing and revising these social media profiles as you would spend writing and revising any paragraph or page in your novel or nonfiction book. – P.Z.M.

___

Phyllis Zimbler Miller is a National Internet Business Examiner at http://www.InternetBizBlogger.com as well as a book author, and her power marketing company http://www.MillerMosaicLLC.com combines traditional marketing principles and Internet marketing strategies to put power in your hands.

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Make It Easy For Readers To Contact You

Posted in Internet Marketing on August 3rd, 2010 by admin

by: Tony Eldridge

source: http://blog.marketingtipsforauthors.com/2010/07/make-it-easy-for-readers-to-contact-you.html

After spending time on the Internet looking for the perfect product, something happens when you find it. The clouds roll back and harp music begins to play in the background. Well, maybe not the music, but it’s pretty close. Finding what you’re looking for is a great feeling.

But often, you may have questions that the FAQs just don’t answer. If you are really motivated, you will contact the company with more questions. But here’s a little secret that many people don’t think about. If a customer can not find a contact method quickly, they will move on to the next site, probably never to return.

The same is true with your site. You want to make sure that people can easily find a contact method for you or your company. Ideally, you will want to put it in a navigation button at the top or side of your page with the other navigation buttons; or at least add it to the bottom of your page. These are the areas that most people are trained to look for contact information.

A mistake that many web owners make is to bury the contact button in the site. Maybe they put in in the “About” page. Or worse, they put it in a page that has no logical reason to have the contact information.

Take a look are your site. Where do you have the contact information? Is it visible no matter where the visitor is on your page? Is it easy to get to? Is it a contact method that you actively monitor?

By taking a few moments to make sure the line of communication to you is clear and easy to find, you will increase the chances that people will hear the harps playing when they are on your site and not the wa-wa-wa of a site that does not deliver.

Bonus Point: The same is true of your “Buy” button. You want to make sure that people can always find your buy button when on your site. The iron is hot for precious few moments and without an easy way to purchase your book, product or service, your visitor will soon be off to a new site.

Ouch.

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Writing a Great Novel-The Secret Every Writer Needs to Know

Posted in Book Writing on August 2nd, 2010 by admin

Writing a Great Novel-The Secret Every Writer Needs to Know

By: Julie Coan

There’s nothing more important to writing a successful novel than identifying the key problem of the story. This article shows how easy it is.

Every writer wants to write a great novel, but not every writer knows the secret that can make the difference between a successful novel and a failure. The secret that every writer needs to know is that every novel is a mystery. I know that might sound ridiculous at first, especially if you’re writing a romance or a science fiction novel. At their core, though, even westerns and horror stories are mysteries.

Let me explain what I mean. When I say that every novel is a mystery, I mean that there is something (a mystery) that the main character must figure out during the story. In a murder mystery, this is pretty obvious. The main character must figure out who committed the murder. This search for the murderer then provides the framework around which the rest of the story is structured. In a romance, the protagonist may need to figure out how to get the man she loves to fall in love with her. In a science fiction novel, the main character may need to figure out how to get back home after his spaceship crashes on an alien planet. In each of these cases, solving the mystery in the story provides the framework.

This mystery can’t just be a passing comment in the story. It needs to be the bones of the story. Therefore, the very first step in writing your novel is to figure out what mystery your main character is going to solve.

First, answer these questions. What is my character’s main task during the story? What does he or she need to find out?

Next, give your main character a seriously compelling reason for completing their task. Let’s use our previous science fiction novel as an example. Our main character needs to figure out how to get back home because he wants to witness the birth of his first child. Maybe he is carrying a vaccine that can cure an epidemic on his home planet. Maybe he only has three days of breathable air. Maybe he has a message that must be delivered to the president in order to prevent war. The more dire the consequences, the better the story will be. The list of possibilities is endless.

You can see how important the word “because” is when you’re writing your novel’s statement. It can turn a good idea for a novel into a great idea. Try using this format for your novel’s mystery sentence: The main character needs to (write the problem here) because (write a compelling reason here).

You can use this mystery statement as part of your marketing material when the novel is finished. It can appear in your press release and in your online advertising.

If you’ve already written a novel, check to see if you can write a mystery statement. If not, there’s a good chance your novel lacks focus. I’ve seen some pretty decent writers spend a lot of time writing very mediocre books which sold only a few copies because they ignored this simple secret.

Make your novel a great novel by finding the mystery in it.

About the Author

Julie Coan has been a writer and educator for more than twenty years. She has just released her novel-writing system as an ebook: Write Your Way to a Million Dollars. Her unique strategies will show you the best ways to write, publish, and market your novel. You Can Write a Successful Novel

(ArticlesBase SC #1350328)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/Writing a Great Novel-The Secret Every Writer Needs to Know

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